Negotiations are set to resume in B.C. port work stoppage

VANCOUVER — Talks are set to resume between the union representing more than 700 locked-out British Columbia port supervisors and their employers.

A representative for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 said they have been ordered back to the table with the BC Maritime Employers Association and federal mediators on Saturday at 5 p.m. and that Sunday and Monday have been set aside for talks to continue if necessary.

The employers association confirmed in a statement that a meeting was set for Saturday and added that its “final offer” has been on the table for more than a week, representing a “fair and balanced proposal for employees.”

Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon had earlier Thursday criticized a lack of progress in talks to end the dispute, as well as a dockworkers strike at the Port of Montreal, saying there had been a “concerning lack of urgency.”

MacKinnon’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement on social media platform X prior to the talks being announced, MacKinnon said he was “closely monitoring” bargaining in the disputes in B.C. and Montreal, which he described as “progressing at an insufficient pace.”

“Public services, such as ports, exist to serve the needs of Canadians,” MacKinnon’s statement said. “It is with this in mind that the federal government supports these negotiations. The parties must reach an agreement quickly.”

B.C.’s port lockout spilled into its fourth day on Thursday, while Port of Montreal dockworkers have been on strike at two container terminals since Oct. 31.

The fresh talks in B.C. come after the union said it had filed a complaint against the employers, accusing them of “bargaining in bad faith, making threats, intimidation, coercion and interference with the administration of a union.”

Frank Morena, president of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514, said in a statement that they filed the complaint with the Canada Industrial Relations Board, accusing the employers association of favouring confrontation rather than negotiation as an end to the dispute.

“Once again, the BCMEA is doing everything it can to push the federal government into intervening instead of doing its job to bargain a new contract — it’s offensive and we expect our complaints to be upheld,” Morena said.

The employers association said in its statement that it will be denying any wrongdoing, calling the complaint “meritless.”

“The BCMEA remains committed to negotiating a fair and equitable agreement that recognizes the efforts and skills of the waterfront workforce and restores supply chain operations as quickly as possible,” the statement said.

Canadian retailers expressed their frustrations through their industry association, saying the sector was increasingly concerned with the lack of movement in the disruptions at Canada’s two largest ports.

Matt Poirier, vice-president of federal government relations with the Retail Council of Canada, said Thursday there “doesn’t seem to be any urgency” in resolving the disputes in B.C. and Quebec and it may result in empty shelves as the holiday season approaches.

“Manufacturing, agriculture and retailers like our sector that rely on these services don’t have a say in the matter,” Poirier said. “We’re not seated at the table, yet we’re the ones that are bearing all the costs and the punishment of these delays.”

Poirier described the situation as a “triple-threat” of labour disruptions, referencing the port stoppages and uncertainty at Canada Post.

He said retailers could face a “staggering” effect in the holiday season “where every delivery counts,” with four days of port disruptions potentially equating to about a month in delays due to ripples in the supply chain.

“We just want it to happen, and it frankly should have happened a lot sooner than it has,” Poirier said of settlements in the disputes.

Prior to the talks being announced, retired University of British Columbia professor and labour expert Mark Thompson said it appeared the employers are “playing hardball” by making what they call a final offer to the union.

“They’ve said that the offer that they’ve put on the table is their last offer,” Thompson said. “Maybe they mean that. I’ve always wondered if it’s the last offer and it’s not accepted, what happens next? They may be hoping that the government will intervene in some way, but that’s very hard to do.”

The right to strike in a labour conflict is protected in the Canadian Constitution, Thompson noted, making federal intervention difficult.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

Chuck Chiang and Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press